House of Lords written question – answered am ar 23 Hydref 2013.
Lord Harrison
Chair, EU Sub Committee A - Economic and Financial Affairs
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what their negotiating priorities will be at the forthcoming World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in December; and whether the United Kingdom will be supporting commitments to giving duty-free, quota-free access to Least Developed Countries.
Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The European Commission negotiates on behalf of Member States at the WTO. The EU and UK priorities for the WTO Ministerial Conference are to secure an agreement on the trade facilitation parts of the Doha package, which by itself would add approximately £70 billion to global GDP, along with some elements on agriculture and on issues of particular interest to low income and least developed countries. The UK already provides 100% duty-free/quota-free access to all LDCs under the EU’s ‘Everything but Arms’ preference scheme and we are keen to see other trading partners follow this lead.
Yes1 person thinks so
No1 person thinks not
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